Which thou shouldst bear me: only that name re mains : The cruelty and envy of the people, Have all forsook me, hath devour'd the rest; I had fear'd death, of all the men i' the world, Stand I before thee here. Then if thou hast And make my misery serve thy turn; so use it, As benefits to thee: for I will fight Against my canker'd country with the spleen Of all the under fiends. But if so be Thou darest not this, and that to prove more for tunes Thou art tired;-then, in a word, I also am 1 Resentment. 2 Disgraceful diminutions of territory. Which not to cut, would show thee but a fool; It be to do thee service. Auf. O Marcius, Marcius, Each word thou hast spoke hath weeded from my heart A root of ancient envy. If Jupiter Should from yon cloud speak divine things, and say, 'Tis true;'-I'd not believe them more than thee, All noble Marcius. O, let me twine Mine arms about that body, where against As hotly and as nobly with thy love, Contend against thy valor. Know thou first, I loved the maid I married; never man Sigh'd truer breath; but that I see thee here, Bestride my threshold. Why, thou Mars! I tell thee, We have a power on foot; and I had purpose Once more to hew thy target from thy brawn,2 Or lose mine arm for 't. Thou hast beat me out3 1 Embrace. 2 Arm. 3 Full. Twelve several times; and I have nightly since Like a bold flood o'erbeat. O, come, go in, And take our friendly senators by the hands; Cor. You bless me, gods! Auf. Therefore, most absolute sir, if thou wilt have The leading of thine own revenges, take The one half of my commission; and set down,— As best thou art experienced, since thou know'st Thy country's strength and weakness,-thine own Whether to knock against the gates of Rome, To fright them ere destroy. But come in: Yet, Marcius, that was much. welcome! Your hand! Most [Exeunt Coriolanus and Aufidius. 1 Ser. [advancing.] Here's a strange alteration! 2 Ser. By my hand, I had thought to have strucken him with a cudgel, and yet my mind gave me, his clothes made a false report of him. 1 Ser. What an arm he has! He turned me about with his finger and his thumb, as one would set up a top. 2 Ser. Nay, I knew by his face that there was something in him: he had, sir, a kind of face, methought,- -I cannot tell how to term it. 1 Ser. He had so; looking, as it were,—would I were hanged, but I thought there was more in him than I could think. 2 Ser. So did I, I'll be sworn. He is simply the rarest man i' the world. 1 Ser. I think he is; but a greater soldier than he, you wot1 one. 2 Ser. Who? my master? 1 Ser. Nay, it's no matter for that. 2 Ser. Worth six of him. 1 Ser. Nay, not so neither; but I take him to be the greater soldier. 2 Ser. Faith, look you, one cannot tell how to say that: for the defence of a town, our general is excellent. 1 Ser. Ay, and for an assault too. 1 Know. |